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TMCnet Feature

April 29, 2014

Self Cleaning Cars: Nissan Develops a Special Paint that Deters Dirty

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By Matt Paulson

TMCnet Contributing Writer

A new development within the labs at Nissan's European Technical Center could drive the car washing business in the fast lane to obsolescence. Nissan is proud to announce the development of a car that keeps itself clean without user intervention, prototyped at its facility in Bedfordshire, England. However, instead of using the complicated array of wipers and buckets that you might find in a Dr. Seuss book, the car actually maintains its clean using a special kind of paint finish called Ultra-Ever Dry.

The high-tech paint job is both hydrophobic and oleophobic – fancy scientific words which mean that they repel and will not stick to water-based or oily compounds. Additionally, the Ultra-Ever Dry finish also prevents dirt, dust, mud, and grit from sticking to the surface. Instead, these compounds are repelled from the vehicle and slide right off the moment they come in contact.

This amazing feat is accomplished thanks to applied nanotechnology, which creates a thin shield of air that ensures the car remains spotless even through rain, snow and puddles of mud. According to a statement from Nissan, “By creating a protective layer of air between the paint and environment, it effectively stops standing water and road spray from creating dirty marks on the car's surface.”

Image via Tech Times.

Nissan ran a test where a car with a standard finish on one side and the Ultra-Ever Dry finish on the other was driven through dirt roads and mud puddles conclusively displayed just how effective the finish is at keeping unwanted filth from tainting the surface of a car. Nissan is hoping that its customers will be drawn to the fact that a self-cleaning car makes life much easier.. By removing this issue, families and other consumers will be able to have much more time to spend on leisurely pursuits, and will not have to worry about taking their car wherever they need to go – no matter how messy.